Fauvism!
Fauvism was a transitional period in art history that was relatively short-lived, lasting from 1898-1908. Fauvism was not technically an art movement, but rather a period when a group of artists began experimenting with a certain, new art style at around the same time. During the Salon d'Automme in Paris in 1905, a number of artists exhibited artwork that was radically different from those of the popular impressionists at the time. These paintings used unnatural and extremely vibrant colors, shocking viewers who were use to seeing the less shocking paintings of impressionists. Upon seeing the many visually shocking paintings at the salon, French critic Louis Vaucelles exclaimed "des Fauves!" which translates to "wild beasts!". Thus was born the name, Fauvists. Among the most prominent Fauvists were Henri Matisse (1869-1954) and André Derain (1880-1954). Other members of the movement who also exhibited their artwork in the salon of 1905 were Maurice de Vlaminck (1876-1958), Albert Marquet (1875-1947), and Henri Manguin (1875-1949). Fauvism had its basis in the paintings of the post-impressionist Paul Gauguin (1884-1903) who had begun to explore the use of color as a way to convey and evoke emotions rather than its traditional use as a descriptor (for example green was used to paint leaves and grass because that was their natural color). Fauvists like Mattise and Derain experimented with colors' power to express emotions, which can be seen in Fauvist paintings; a seemingly frenzy of unnatural and vibrant colors are juxtaposed together to create a painting in which the sky is green and the water is yellow. However in spite of the burst of vibrant colors, the paintings themselves are wild yet visually appealing and very expressive (in a good way). Fauvism, although short-lived, would serve to influence many future artists who would begin to explore the unconventional uses of color such as the Expressionists.
Paul Gauguin (1884-1903) 'Vision after the Sermon', 1888
In this painting, Paul Gauguin portrays a scene of Breton nuns witnessing the biblical Jacob wrestling with an angel. Although Gauguin was an Impressionist, this painting marks his departure from the Impressionistic style towards a more Fauvist style. In the conventional Impressionistic paintings, color was used to 'describe' their respective objects, but here color is used in a symbolic sense, a use that deviates from the Impressionist's use of color. The ground, which should be brown with dirt or green with grass, is painted red. Although this color is totally unrealistic, the reddish color of the background conveys a sense of intensity which translates to the viewer and affects their emotional reception of the piece.
In this painting, Paul Gauguin portrays a scene of Breton nuns witnessing the biblical Jacob wrestling with an angel. Although Gauguin was an Impressionist, this painting marks his departure from the Impressionistic style towards a more Fauvist style. In the conventional Impressionistic paintings, color was used to 'describe' their respective objects, but here color is used in a symbolic sense, a use that deviates from the Impressionist's use of color. The ground, which should be brown with dirt or green with grass, is painted red. Although this color is totally unrealistic, the reddish color of the background conveys a sense of intensity which translates to the viewer and affects their emotional reception of the piece.
Fauvist Paintings!
Commentary: I believe this informal movement was the result of artists' unconscious desire to express themselves in new and unconventional ways. Previously the dominant movement was Impressionism, which focused on portraying everyday scenes with realistic colors. Artists like Henri Matisse saw a different and dare I say greater potential of color in artwork, and ended up along with several other artists, unanimously experimenting with the use of wild colors and their ability to evoke and express emotions. Color definitely has meaning beyond its more plain use as a descriptor, and the discovery of its expressive uses during this movement would be a significant milestone for future artists and even regular people who want to express themselves differently.